Concerted effort to make Acton’s roads safer
We found that signage slowed vehicles, but only modestly, indicating that road design changes are required to meaningfully reduce speeds.
Mothers Out Front Acton partnered with residents on Upland Road and Thoreau Street to give town staff clear, community-collected information to make neighborhood streets safer for people walking and biking, and for children at play.
Neighbors installed more than 20 colorful lawn signs reminding drivers to slow down. Adding a touch of humor, a Halloween skeleton at the top of Pine Street and Upland Road asks drivers to “STAAAAHP.” To reinforce the message, a “safety buddy,” an upcycled dress form and a mannequin in high-visibility clothing, stood at Upland Road and Thoreau Street while colorful fabric on a tree at Upland Road and Harrington Avenue drew drivers’ attention to be cautious. Acton staff also put out official signage to slow drivers.
To gauge the impact of these measures, volunteers conducted two speed studies (before and after signage was placed) on Upland Road following accepted speed-study guidelines. The new data complements findings from the 2019 Cut-Through Study, Acton’s Comprehensive Long-Range Plan, and the Climate Action and Resilience Plan. We found that signage slowed vehicles, but only modestly, indicating that road design changes are required to meaningfully reduce speeds. While Acton continues to improve how it logs resident concerns and crash data, this effort shows that simple, low-cost traffic-calming ideas can be piloted quickly and evaluated as candidates for permanent solutions.
With these results, and with voters’ August approval to invest in paving and safety improvements, we are ready to move from knowing to doing.
If you are interested in participating in making Acton safer for all, please join us in attending the Roadway and Traffic Safety Forum on October 28 at the Town House Public Hearing Room or on Zoom, 4-5:30 p.m.
Linda Nieman
Mallard Drive
